Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-08-03
Under Ether.

sfndcr Ether
Sunday nj balfnast one was The hour fix
ed ioy tho operation. II is cnrious sensa-
lion, feeling perfectly well and sound in
wind and limh, to sit waiting for o man TO
whom Won are 10 surrender volitiOn, con-
sciousness in fact, everything but life itself
willie he cnis ana carVes at you with his
knives and lance,s One is 60 accustomed
TO seeing the doctor only when one Is Ill aa9
depressed, az after an accident ia the iald,
That IL seems Incredible that thcre sh0uld bo
the slightest necessity for this absolute and
deliberate surrender to the surgeon. 1t IS
ensy enough 10 wait when one IS suffering,
Tor tho visit oi the medical man brings re-
lief, or at least breaks the mOnot0ny OF long
hours; hut to wait IN perfect health for the
performances oi a painful operation is Tery
different and moro nervous matter.
Soon Nffei tho honr named two serious,
frock .co"lAd gentlemen, with omnoua little
black bags in then hands, were announced.
The surgeon declared that The operation
must be performed in hed. So we pulled the
bedstead into the most convenient position
for catching the light rom the window, and
when no had retired hegaD 20 undres9 1T
seemed very NDSGIH Sbi"tt w hCii III 'io nun
die Of tho day, more especially as the blinds
were fully drawn M and the ann was strug-
cling through the cloud9 aud pouring It's
light into tho room. No limo was lost the
surgeon and doctor came in and began 10
arrange their tackle for work The doctcr
got out his ether apparatus and soon com
pounded a smell like 81 photographers shcp
in older days, while out Of the corner ci my
aye could SEQ hosurgeon, who had taken
oil his coat and pulled some guards over bis
wrists and arms, arranging his weapons IN
q heat row on the dressing table. When
lhe doctor had got bis machine reacy he
placed it over my nose and mouth with in
structions to breathe deeply two or three
times. The apparatus used for giving ether
consists OF g box, in which the compound ls
placed and IN oval India rubber mask, very
plant and flexible, projecting from it, with
"a tap which allows communication between
the two parts 10 be cut OF or established at
will The mask part was placed over my
face, and | inhaled deeply once or twice,
with the only result that was seized with
choking cough, which, however, was soon
followed by pleasant and restful sensa-
ton. felt as if were gently doing off on
n warm summers day, so | closed my eyes
and placed my arms down by my sides
that they might not interfere with my
breathing. The doctor bent over me and
raised an eyelid, but / was wide enough
awake to say, Not yet, doctor | was rap
idly going though and felt ! was begin
ming to lose consciousness. The light
seemed gently TO fade nway, giving place to
darkness that was not awful or horrible, but
soft and restful. There WAS no giddiness or
singing in the ears, but silence and darkness
la,l. - ftn,, raI
seemed TO come from between my eyes and
TO float away into the increasing gloom,
gradually diminishing to 81 red spot, the
only speck OF light left. Slowly this faded
away, aad sight. hearing, volition, and every
sense with it. | had q dim consciousness of
existence, but my very life seemed far away,
buried under masses Of soft darkness. do
not know whether | spoke, but my brain
was u blank, and not thought crossed my
mind. All was numb dead and still, the
silence of the grave, but with faint, inde-
Unable consciousnuss somewhere that this
was not death, but only the suspension OF
life. Darkness was all sround-not dark
ness that might be felt but one that filled
everything, covered everything, and blotted
out everything with black, impalpable and
al-pervading presence.
Gradually and softly as it went the light
came back again, with no startled wondsr
as to where / was, for almost before could
shape s thought instinctively remembered
my position and knew that the operation WAS
over. The figures in the room grew distinct
and clear. half rose up in bed, and then O
horrible feeling OF nausea and pain rushed
upon me- had lain down strong and well;
woke up weak and throhbing with pain
under my baudages and with 81 sickness
such a. | mad believed could only be pro-
duCed in Attorney Race on board cattle
boat
splendid, y cried the surgeon, cheerfully,
cali over, first rate !" aud he turned down
his shirt sleeves alter tossing away the towel
with which he had dried his hands My
first thought WAS 10 ask the time. Not
much more than quarter OF an hour over
it, WAS tha reply; 81 Dare say You will go
to sleep now; good bye" During my trance
they had cut me and carved me, sewn mo
up and bandaGed rae without my even
knowing that | had been touched, but ]
could hardly feel grateful to the anGsthetic,
Tor the nausea it produced WAS so intense.
My mouth, throat and lungs felt coated
with ether and dried with smoke, and !
could well imagine what tho month OF q
photographers boy would be like after 81
F'Di'pEoh "OpNuoh VIZ uioWu ps1pcl SiSeA.'
soaked in collodion. Still the ether had
saved me from mucd suffering, and, what
was of more Importance, had prevented the
skill OF the operator being baked by any
nnching. Everything had been done swift
iy, skiiiutly. and with no fear of the patient
WInclng or mo?ing. The knife is sure and
sharp nowadays and does not bungle.-
Pdt Mall Gazette.
Young men or middleaged ones, suffering
from nnrunns dah;I;t.- l.:na.ad ,r-aal. :